Répondez S'ilVousPlaît
by vikung-fu
Summary: [Romilda Vane x Melinda Bobbin, girl crush, fluff] Romilda Vane finds herself with an invite to Slughorn's Christmas Party after all.


**Répondez S'il-Vous-Plaît**

"I don't know why he won't talk to me! I mean it's stupid, just _stupid_!" Romilda Vane scowled darkly, prodding in an agitated manner at the fledgling _karura _to prevent it from falling off the table.

She was a pretty girl, Melinda Bobbin reflected in a distracted fashion, her looks prominent if not somewhat soured by the scowl she wore more often than not.

Her hair was dark, cut in a bob that had grown out several months ago and now curtailed a few inches below her chin. Her fringe was also just long enough to get in her hazel eyes, and her nose was arched and distinct, like those of the remaining Roman legionnaires that still prowled around London's underground. 

"I mean _really_!" Romilda huffed and then stopped dead, her expression becoming one of horror and dread.

She reached over and snatched Melinda's hand from her side, clutching it close to her chest with a yank that almost pulled the other girl from her feet.

"Do you think it's my hair?" She cried, tears forming in her eyes. "Oh, I _knew _I should have got it cut before school started! It's too messy, isn't it? Isn't it, Melinda? It is, isn't it? Oh!"

Melinda sighed, her own sharp blue eyes taking in the extent of Romilda's appearance, from that familiar Roman nose to the swell beneath her school cardigan and her long legs hidden by dark tights and feet wrapped in black ballerina pumps with delicate bows of black ribbon adorning their tips.

Despite Romilda's professed faults, Melinda Bobbin felt positively plain by comparison. She was petite, her own hair wavy and blonde and pushed away from her round face.

She wore an Alice band topped by a bow of blue ribbon not entirely unlike the bows that decorated Romilda's shoes, a comparison she wasn't keen to invite, not least of all because it made her feel stupid and childish.

Even with her hair in need of a trim, Romilda Vane far surpassed her in terms of beauty.

She suppressed a wistful sigh, her ears feeling uncommonly warm as Romilda continued to clutch her hand.

"I don't know what more I can do!" Romilda wailed sorrowfully, drawing a small amount of sniggers from the other students gathered in the damp smelling greenhouse.

Abruptly she stopped and smiling haltingly. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she looked down at Melinda almost as if she were seeing her for the first time. 

"You're in that little _'Slug Club' _of dirty old Slughorn's, aren't you?" She said, her voice low and cunning.

Melinda nodded hesitantly.

"_You _could talk to him for me!" She proclaimed in triumph. "You could be my inside girl!"

The shorter girl looked glumly away, far from enthralled by the prospect.

If Romilda Vane noticed, she showed no sign.

"If you soften him up," Romilda continued, her mind now working overtime. "Then he'll be much more amicable towards me when it comes to accepting the chocolate cauldrons I've got him for Christmas..."

She paused and looked thoughtful again.

"Although, just to make sure, it might be wisest to spike them with a love potion or something, I'm sure I can order one of those from the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes mail order service..."

"M-My father's an apothecary..." Melinda said hesitantly.

"What?" Romilda paused, looking agitated at the interruption.

"My father's an apothecary." She repeated. "He owns a whole chain of shops. I-I could get you a love potion..."

Romilda patted her hand in a condescending manner.

"There, there, dear, I think it might be wisest if we opted for the professional product for this. Don't forget I'm staking my heart on this!"

Melinda blushed and felt stupid.

"Or..." she continued, already knowing how doomed to failure her suggestions were. "Or maybe I could invite you to Slughorn's Christmas Party...we could go together...like a date...maybe..."

"A date?" Romilda Vane proclaimed and more of the class lifted their heads to stare at them.

"Yes." Melinda murmured. 

"You want to take _me _to Slughorn's Christmas Party?" She asked again.

"Yes." Melinda murmured, her face burning red with embarrassment.

Romilda dropped the other girl's hand and Melinda felt it fall limply at her side, her eyes filling with tears.

Romilda herself felt her heart beating in her chest, suddenly aware of how many people were looking at her. She lifted her head and, with a gasp of horror, she met the eyes of Harry Potter himself.

Quickly she turned away and found herself confronted by Melinda once again.

She took a deep breath and prepared her answer, desperately struggling to save face in the unexpected situation she now found herself in.

"Well..." she said, her face becoming as flushed as Melinda's. "Well, I can't see...I can't see why not."

Melinda's face broke into a joyful smile and Romilda giggled nervously. 

Carefully, and in front of the whole class, Melinda Bobbin stood on tip-toes and kissed the other girl on the lips and, though she would never admit it out loud, Romilda Vane conceded quietly to herself that Melinda was in fact a far better kisser than she would ever have guessed. 


End file.
